SC uses desktops to hear Mumbai blasts convicts

New Delhi, Jan 11 (Agencies): The hitech bug seemed to have bitten the Supreme Court which on Tuesday for the first time used desktop computers to hear appeals of 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts convicts, including 10 persons facing death penalty, and CBI's cross appeals for enhancement of punishment.

A bench of justices P Sathasivam and B S Chauhan, after hearing the preliminary submissions of the counsel for the convicts and Solicitor General Gopal Subrmanium appearing for CBI, posted the appeals for final hearing from March 29.

Film star Sanjay Dutt was convicted for six years in the bomb blast case and is now out on bail pending his appeal in the apex court.

However, CBI has chosen not to appeal against Dutt who was acquitted of the charge of conspiracy in the blasts but was awarded five years imprisonment by a designated court for being in illegal possession of arms.

For the first time, the Supreme Court used desktops during the proceedings to browse through the over 4,000 pages judgement of the designated TADA court which had awarded death sentence to 11 persons, besides varying terms ranging from three years to life imprisonment for 76 others.

The bench adjoured the hearing after the Solicitor General sought six weeks' time to ensure English translation of the various documents pertaining to the case from Marathi and Hindi.

The designated court had passed the judgements between July and October 2007 on the trial relating to the infamous serial blasts which had rocked Mumbai on March 12, 1993 killing over 200 persons and injuring 713.

During the pendency of the appeal in the apex court, one of the convicts Mohd Iqbal, facing death sentence, died and hence his appeal stands abated (ended). Three other convicts also died during the pendency of the appeal.

While the 10 convicts facing death sentence have challenged their conviction, CBI has filed cross appeals against over 40 convicts, seeking enhancement of their punishment.